Ableton Link – the latest platforms, products, and possibilities

Since its release less than three years ago, Ableton Link has helped make collaboration with electronic instruments simpler. A technology that keeps software applications (and even hardware products) in time over a local network, Link has found its way into all kinds of instruments and creative tools. It’s been exciting to see how artists use it for performance and play – even outside of the music-making domain.

Now as part of Live 10, there’s further improvement to how Link works between multiple applications and many Link-enabled instruments. So now’s a good time to look at some of the latest possibilities for playing with Link.

More ways to play

There are now more than 150 applications with Link technology built in. Originally part of Live and a handful of iOS apps, Link has been adopted as a hassle-free music-making solution across multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, macOS and Windows software, as well as a number of hardware instruments.

So what exactly are the possibilities now? To name a few, you can customise your Serato DJ set with beats, loops and effects from any Link-enabled product. Synchronize lights or visuals with your music. And run hardware like the MPC Live or Eurorack modules in parallel with any Link enabled music making application.

Better control across applications –Start/Stop Sync

Link’s new Start/Stop Sync feature brings improved control across Link-enabled products, both on a single device and across multiple devices.

When playing with multiple devices using the first version of Link, any player can control the tempo, and individual players have control over when they start or stop their part.

In the new version of Link, we’ve added the option to start or stop multiple applications together. So when playing alone or alongside others with several apps or devices, one application can control both the tempo and Start/Stop commands of all applications with the feature enabled.

The feature is part of Link in Live 10, and all Link-enabled instruments that have updated to the latest version of Link. Watch how Link now works in Live 10: